


Like a Hug

by Ivyfics (ivyfics)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Awkward!Kuroo, Cocky!Tsukki, Getting Together, M/M, Short & Sweet, Tall Tsukki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28685058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivyfics/pseuds/Ivyfics
Summary: He is simply being lent a jacket.He’s been lent a jacket by one Tsukishima Kei, tall, blond, and mean, who is infinitely sweet and a little sour to Tetsurou in a combination that makes every inch of his body tingle and roil until he’s not sure if he wants to purr of vomit.Kei who is taller now, taller than what he was and what Tetsuro is, more confident, who smirks like it is he who is the cat and Tetsurou who is the canary.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Comments: 17
Kudos: 169





	Like a Hug

**Author's Note:**

> Happy KRTSKI day peeps, have something sweet.

There’s something about embarrassment that is incompatible with him, or so he’s been told. He grew out of shyness and never looked back. Tetsurou will do and say anything, as long as he means it. He’d rather live with rejection than regret and fortune favors the bold. 

There might be a limit to boldness, or to fortune. An invisible tally of all the lucky shots he’s been given, the uncanny coincidences that have put him ahead. He’s used to boldness, to kindness disguised as wit. He’s not used to infatuation so terrible it weakens his knees. 

He’s not used to this. It’s so different, you know? He’s not used to looking—slightly—up, instead of down, not used to being the one to not _have_ to shoulder the breeze when it hits against them. He has never had to look down to hide an ill-timed blush and subsequently, accidentally, catch Yaku’s attention and be mocked for the redness of his cheeks until the end of time before. 

Tetsurou has always been the tall one, the strong one, the one with the broad shoulders and the big hoodies that are baggy on others. He’s used to crushes on sweet, tiny girls, and boys who are soft (and feisty, once, if that weird Yaku thing is to count,) that look up at him with doe eyes. This... battering ram of emotions after being lent a jacket that turned out to be too big on his frame is not _usual._

It smells like Tsukki, like the soap in the communal showers of their college volleyball camp and the shampoo that he brought from home because he refused to use the shared one, or worse, follow the lead of some teammates and forego shampoo at all. 

It smells like the firecrackers they lit last night in the dark, like their elbows brushing and the calculatedly accidental meeting of their hands hidden in the firelight from the bonfire. Kuroo is crushing, like a teen, like an idiot, like a dunce who has never had a first love. 

He might have left his teens behind years ago, and his first love will always belong to the older neighbor down the street, but he is an idiot, apparently. There is no reason for nervousness or embarrassment. He is simply being lent a jacket. 

He’s been lent a jacket by one Tsukishima Kei, tall, blond, and mean, who is infinitely sweet and a little sour to Tetsurou in a combination that makes every inch of his body tingle and roil until he’s not sure if he wants to purr of vomit. Kei who is taller now, taller than what he was and what Tetsuro is, more confident, who smirks like it is he who is the cat and Tetsurou who is the canary. 

Tetsurou does not expect or fantasize about chivalry, yet he is on the receiving end of it. It turns him inside out. 

Tetsurou is being _pursued_.

Sweetly, gently pursued by someone who calls him names and throws challenges in his face, expecting nothing but his very best and holding nothing back. He wants to throw up. Maybe let Tsukki pet him and bask in the feeling before he yaks. 

Tsukki, to put it plainly, is toying with him. He’s being kind and respectful and absolutely, definitely, amusing himself with Tetsurou’s reactions and his idiocy. Last night's drunkenness and the buzz from secret alcohol bottles can’t explain away his stuttering, or the constant burning of his face when near a taunting expression hiding behind black rims and wit. 

He’s wearing it again, even though he should give it back. It’s morning now, and almost time to return from their beach retreat. Even if there is no reason to still be wearing it when the sun is present and daylight exposes all the little cracks they can gloss over in the color of dusk, Tetsurou wraps himself around it. Finds color for his cheeks in the way the sleeves fall to rest by his knuckles. Releases butterflies in his gut, of all things, by the way the shoulders feel too broad, the fit obviously mismatched. 

The sun breaks through the clouds. Breeze whips his hair while he leans on a veranda and Tetsurou does more than his own part in Kei’s effort to curry his favor.

* * *

Tetsurou keeps the jacket. 

He would love to say it’s completely accidental, but the scene of him shoving it below all of his other belongings is too intentional for his consciousness to ignore. He keeps it and wears it until the scent of it is replaced by one of Tetsurou’s deodorant. 

Every time he wears it alarms blare off in his skull at the possibility of running into Kei while he’s wearing it and have to painstakingly try to explain that _no, Tsukki, I am not wearing your jacket because I want you to hug me and slam me against a wall, I enjoy wearing ill-fitting garments for the look._

It takes him wearing it inside his own room paired with his sweats that have a hole in the crotch to admit that maybe it is time to be a decent human and return what is not his. 

Expectation doesn’t build in him, and he doesn’t put in extra effort in his outfit his first free day after he’s made up his mind to give back the puffy, black jacket, no matter how much Kenma gives him a knowing look when leaving their shared apartment. 

Kei is in the dorms, the new building with the fancy lobby and the working elevators. He’s been there twice before, so he knows Kei is on the fourth floor, to the right, on the side that has the obnoxious red doors. 

He makes it to the shared lounge of floor four of the new building before nerves get the best of him. The jacket is folded over his arm, and the hoodie that Bokuto gifted him two weeks ago is stylish but not heavy. The temptation to slide the jacket on is great–the comfort of it alluring, but it would be quite weird, he thinks, to show up to return a piece of clothing while wearing it. 

Maybe Tsukki will invite him in. He’d grant Tetsurou one of his accidental brushes of their shoulders, or a betraying smile full of misgiving and evil things that shouldn’t be thought of by anyone standing alone in front of a door like a creep. 

He halts, bringing the fabric to his forehead and shutting his eyes hard. Embarrassment crawls over him, slow and tortuous. He is making a fool out of himself, in the middle of a hallway, using a jacket that is not his to cover his glowing blush. He is a fool for being irreparably infatuated like he is. No dignity in a single one of his bones.

Tetsurou groans the frustration away. Time to toughen up. Without dignity and full of embarrassment, Tetsurou is not a coward. He strides up the last few steps to Tsukki’s door and knocks twice as hard as he intended to. 

It’s not long before Tsukki opens his door with a frown. His eyebrows jump high on his face before he schools his expression. “Hey.”

He is pretty, in a relaxed way. Tetsurou is still surprised by the solidity of his chest, the new broadness to his frame. Tetsurou’s tongue ties. “Hi, I thought I’d bring this… by.” Behind Kei, through the open door, is a first-year, probably. They’re studying on his bed, books open and strewn about. He has silver hair and a cute complexion, delicate and gentle. Something crawls inside of Tetsurou’s throat at the sight. Tetsurou clears it, trying to be inconspicuous. “In case you needed it.”

Tsukki closes the gap on the door quickly, blocking out whoever is inside. He leans against the wall. “You could’ve kept it, there’s no rush.”

Tetsurou doesn’t want to think about it, but he’s afraid he might have interrupted something. The thought makes the awkwardness at the exchange rise. He grasps the jacket and offers it. “Nah, It’s getting colder.”

Tsukki scoffs, mocking him. “Yeah, and your jackets are shit, keep it.”

He insists.“Tsukki, I’m good.”

Tsukki crosses his arms before he continues, leaning forward on his toes in a rare display of fidgeting. “Sure you are, but I bet you’re cold, too.”

Tsukki doesn’t say anything else or make a move to take the jacket that Tetsurou is still holding out. “You’re not budging on this.”

“No.” 

“Fine.” Tetsurou awkwardly retracts his arm. In his regular life, when he is not in front of his crush, Tetsurou is almost suave. 

All bets are off when Tsukki is in front of him, refusing to take back something he “ _lent_ ”—something obviously and increasingly apparent that was never meant to be returned in the first place, which Tetsurou pretends not to have known so he could hold on to an excuse to see Tsukki again. 

Tetsurou knows it. Tsukki knows it. Tsukki has a cute first year sitting pretty on his bed as they speak. Tetsurou catches a wince before it shows. “Thanks. I’ll see you around.”

Tsukki hums a response, not moving from his pose. “See you.”

Tetsurou doesn’t look back. Stiffly, he walks back to the lounge, through the hallway. Waits for the elevator and hopes for the earth to swallow him whole. If he dwells on the past fifteen minutes, he’ll combust. There is a word for what he’s feeling and he’d love to name it if his brain wasn’t a goopy mush of thoughts. Tetsurou can’t wait to go home and scream into a pillow until he’s out of breath and with a headache. 

He should have texted Tsukki before-hand. He should have simply not done anything that he did and died wearing the jacket in the comfort of his own room with his holey sweatpants and his stained sleep shirt. 

A voice bursts his bubble. “You know, jackets only work if you’re wearing them.”

Tetsurou jumps out of his skin, turning around in self-defense. His hand goes over his ear, protecting it from any more low, intimate whispers. “Fucking–scared the shit out of me. What?”

He’s wearing the same green collared sweater he had before, but he has thrown a coat over it. Did he comb his hair, too? “It’s cold outside.”

“Why are you all dressed up?”

Tsukki shrugs, hands inside his pockets. “We’re going for coffee.”

“We are? You and me?”

“There’s no one else around.”

Tetsurou stammers and imagines neither of them notices. “What about your guest?”

Tsukki’s expression falls into spite. “Annoying as shit, he can choke.”

“Tsukki.” Tetsurou’s tone is scandalous. He revels in it, and his bypassing jealousy fades into contentment. Tetsurou can be annoying as shit, but Tsukki wouldn’t ditch him for it. 

Tsukki dismisses it. “I’m playing teacher’s pet and helping him out with a class. He’s a pain in my ass.”

The elevator cuts them off, doors opening. Tetsurou shuffles in, expecting Tsukki to stand beside him at the reasonable distance friends stand next to each other on elevators because that’s what they are. Friends. 

Instead, Tsukki lets him walk in and stands slightly behind him, using his shoulder to rest his chin while pressing the button for the ground floor. The doors close them in. “I’m exhausted from dealing with him. I need to recharge.”

Is he blushing? Tetsurou is sure he is blushing. He grips Kei’s jacket to his chest, pulling it tighter against himself in reaction to Kei’s voice by his ear.“Right.”

The air is telling, heavy with their shared intentions. Tetsurou can feel Kei’s stare on him. Can he feel Tetsurou’s pulse racing against his neck?

“Kuroo?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we still pretending?”

Tetsurou plays dumb. He’s an idiot. Pretending… pretending that Tsukki is not putting the moves on him? That he’s not being wooed? That he’s not swooning? Hot and bothered?

What is he doing? 

The elevator dings it’s the arrival and Tsukki chuckles, easily. “Nevermind.” He takes Tetsurou’s silence as an affirmative and moves on without issue. He’ll do that, over and over, get closer and wait when Tetsurou gets flustered and doesn't let them move forward. He’ll push the boundaries without crossing them, waiting for Tetsurou to give the go-ahead. Tsukki is so sure he’ll do it, so confident in his success, that it’s not a matter of if but when.

Tetsurou is still holding the damn jacket. 

He walks ahead quickly. Turns around to face Tsukki inside the elevator and puts on the jacket. It blocks the chill immediately and adds warmth that has nothing to with the fabric and all to do with the fact that Tetsurou is wearing it in front of its owner. “Actually, no.”

Tsukki is frozen in place, waiting for him to finish his little statement. “No?”

Tetsurou says, full of fake bravado, “We are not still pretending that I don’t want you to rail me against every and all surfaces because I’m not a bitch.” 

Tsukki blinks at him for a second before he composes himself. The elevator door almost closes on him, but he grips it and pushes it back open. “Well. Good to know.”

Tetsurou waits for him to catch up before walking to the entrance. He walks four, five steps, stops, and turns. “And another thing! You cannot simply say we are doing things and expect me to go along. I can be asked.”

Tsukki is a picture of amusement. He gives Tetsurou one of those incredibly attractive sardonic smiles that hold no malice. “Did you not want to go for coffee?”

It’s frustrating, being so obvious. “Yes, I want to go for coffee, don’t head tilt me with your tallness.”

“My tallness.”

“Yes, your tallness and your–” Tetsurou shakes his hand to encompass Tsukki’s chest “–everything.”

“Asking and no tallness.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Tsukki smiles at him. Bends at the waist slightly to look at Tetsurou underneath his lashes and speaks sweetly. “Do you still want to go for coffee with me, Tetsurou? I am tired and annoyed and I just want caffeine and to stare at your face.”

Oh, no. No. He’s created a monster. Tetsurou swallows hard. “Tsukki.”

Tsukki straightens, laughing. His laugh is wonderfully cocky. It’s infuriating. “What, I asked. And no tallness, too.”

Tetsurou fans his face. “You are terrible.”

Tsukki looks around them. Satisfied, he maneuvers himself into Tetsurou’s space, gripping him by the waist. Tetsurou feels small again, even as a grown man that towers over most everyone. Small and safe and entirely too comfortable being handled. Tsukki melds them together, leaning in to breathe the same air. He steals Tetsurou’s breath, joins their foreheads together. Tsukki has to hunch a little for it. Tetsurou zones into that fact down to his fingertips. 

He stares and stares at Tsukki's mouth. Zeroes in on his lips. Something in him refuses to make the first move. He enjoys being pursued, likes the thrill of being chased and wooed. He wants to give in, wants to be pushed and prodded. 

Tsukki follows him, reads his cues perfectly. Walks him back into a wall without taking his eyes off Tetsurou. He’s smug, biting on his tongue to hold back a laugh. “Is that a no?” 

He’s melting. “Of course it’s not a no.”

He’s _so_ easy. So easy, so ready to be kissed and touched, and all the things Tsukki’s hands promise. 

Tsukki hums, placating.“Will you let me steal a kiss?”

“It’s not stealing if I say yes.”

“I’m asking if you’ll let me.”

Tetsurou barely makes it out. His throat is closed, vocal cords useless. It’s a huff of air against lips, between them. “Just take it.”

Tsukki kisses him against a wall in the lobby of his dorm in plain sight while Tetsurou is wearing his too-big jacket. Tsukki smiles into the kiss, smug and completely right in his arrogance. It feels like a win and a fail at the same time. He’s conquered a battle by being the loser and claimed victory by forfeit. Tsukki breaks apart, bites his lower lip with more force than what can be classified as gentle, and looks down at him. 

“Sorry, I can’t rail you against all and every surface right now.”

Tetsurou groans a sound of death and buries his head on Tsukki's chest. Embarrassment is his new best friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Tsukki really said: fuck you guest, I hate you I’m going on a date with my not boyfriend entertain yourself and deal with it. 
> 
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